Poll: About your RN program...

I am married with a 2 1/2 & 1 1/2 yr olds.I work about 16 hrs/week- go to school t & th 6-9 Sat & sun 7-5 and this month have class on wed nights 6-9. There are intermittant clasess wed & Fri nights.

Lots of studying, this weekend I have 3 quizzes and a test. Some days I get up at 4 or 5 others I am up late doing it.

Good luck to you!

How much time per week do you spend doing nursing school stuff (class, rotations, etc?)

How much time per week do you study?

If you work, how many hours per week?

Thank you much!

Well, how much time you spend in school and clinicals depends where you are in the two year program. In the beginning semester I was in school 4 days a week for about 5 hours. I am now at the end of the program and we spend 1 day a week in class but it is a solid 8 hours of classes. For clinical time, (rotations), there is MUCH PAPERWORK involved (nursing care plans) for each clinical. I would say at the beginning 8 hours of clinical time=an additional 12 hours of paper work (nursing care plans). You will spend at least 12 hours a week in actual clinical practice.

Regarding study time - my school advises that you should devote 60 hours a week between school, clinicals, and study time. I have found that is really a minimized estimate. To average B's in my classes I pretty much study ALL the time except for taking one night off for entertainment (to keep my sanity). You are going to have to sacrifice cooking most meals, most house cleaning, and some quality time with your family.

I do work as an LPN extern, but only two 12 hour shifts a month. It is extremely difficult to work full time and go to school full time. It is possible during the first year of the program (at my school), but during the second year of the program it is dang near impossible. All of us in the last semester have jobs in health care for the experience, but with extremely scaled down working hours.

Having children is also a BIG factor. Life gets complicated when you have kids in nursing school. I am 50 - so don't have any; it is not a concern to me. I am sure students with kids will chime in and give you some advise there.

I guess the bottom line is I would not be nearly as successful in school if I did not have total support from my husband. I am very thankful for that!

Best of luck,

Lu Ann

For the first three weeks we were at school 24 hours a week. Now that clinicals started, it's two 6 hour days at clinical and two 6 hour days at school. I studying between 3-4 hours every night and usually 5 hours on Saturday and Sunday. I only work 1/2 day on Friday and I have a 10 year old son.